Energy efficiency and conservation are not the only ways to cut or contain energy costs: action at the regulatory level may have an even better payback. Experience with many rate interventions has shown that a dollar invested in such effort often returns $10 to $20 in avoided costs.
Engineers and facility managers typically shy away from regulatory actions, seeing them as legalistic, bureaucratic, or complex. Merely securing permission from upper management for such involvement may be a problem. Some feel such actions are costly, unlikely to result in savings, or that "you can't fight City Hall." Experience has shown, however, that - at the end of the day - those who maintain such silence usually get stuck with the bill.